The Brest fortress

The Brest fortress – the memorial complex constructed within the
city of Brest, on a place of the old city of Brest-Litovsk (only a few cult
constructions adapted under needs of fortress remained).Construction of defensive works began in
1833, and in April, 1842 fortress entered number of operating fortresses of the
I class of the Russian Empire.

In 1913
construction of the second ring of strengthenings which had to have 45 km in a
circle was begun, but prior to war it wasn't finished. As World War I began
fortress strenuously prepared for defense, but on the night of August 23, 1915
during the general retreat was left and blown partially up by the Russian
armies. On March 3, 1918 in the Citadel, in the so-called White palace the
Brest peace treaty was signed. Fortress was captured by Germans until the end
of 1918, and then it was under control of Poles. In 1920 it was taken by Red
army, but it was lost again soon, and in 1921 on the Riga peace treaty departed
to the II Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. During the interwar period fortress
was used as barracks, a military warehouse and political prison (in the 1930th
years oppositional politicians here were concluded).

"The
Brest fortress hero" as the memorial complex, is created in 1969-71 in the
territory of the Brest fortress for perpetuating of a feat of participants of
defense of the Brest fortress during the Great Patriotic War. The memorial is
solemnly open 25.09.1971. The sculptural-architectural complex includes the
escaped buildings, the preserved ruins, ramparts and works of modern monumental
art.

A number of feature films is devoted to defense
of the Brest fortress: "Immortal garrison" (1956), "Fight for
Moscow" (movie the first "Aggression", one of subject lines,
1985); "I — the Russian soldier" (according to Boris Vasilyev's book
"In lists didn't appear", 1995), joint Russian-Belarusian "The
Brest fortress" (2010), and also documentary "The Brest fortress.
Crossing of armies", removed by Mikhail Glushin in 2009. In 2010 the NTV
channel released Alexey Pivovarov's television movie "Brest. Serf heroes".